Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Bella
We stop at my apartment first, and they let me place my things inside before I lock the door.
Xavier waits with me, while Blaine and Latham go to their apartment next door.
He’s probably waiting so I wouldn't lock myself inside and ignore them.
The moment I lock my door and turn around, he drops his arm across my shoulders, tugging me against him.
I try to push his arm off and move away from his grip only for him to laugh and drop his arm, instead moving it to my waist. He pushes their apartment door open.
I am instantly hit with the smell of something amazing, making my mouth water and my belly rumble embarrassingly.
“See? Smells better than microwave dinners,” Latham taunts.
I roll my eyes, but he is right. Definitely smells better than the frozen lasagne I’ve been planning on heating up.
“Twenty minutes,” Blaine tells Latham and he nods, wandering off.
I walk past the kitchen, which is the first thing you walk into when coming into the apartment.
It is exactly the same as mine. As I go to walk past though, Blaine reaches over and grips the front of my blouse before tugging me to him.
A startled shriek leaves me, as he suddenly presses me against the counter. .
“What is it with you three and always getting handsy?” I snap at him, pushing on his chest when his face moves closer to mine, a devious smile playing on his lips.
“Does it really bother you that much?” he whispers, brushing his nose across my cheek.
I swallow, wanting to tell him to get off me, yet the words don’t leave my lips.
“Or maybe I am not handsy enough,” he says, his hand gliding up my side before he cups my breast, squeezing it through my blouse.
Arousal wraps around me so abruptly I moan when he presses himself against me. I can feel his arousal pressing against my stomach.
“Maybe you want more than just my hands on you?” he says, his lips brushing mine as he speaks.
“Is that what you want, Bella? Do you want all of us to touch you, caress you, make you scream?”
His words are so vulgar but I still don’t answer.
His hand then moves to the back of my neck, his fingers stroking my nape before he tilts my face up more.
He groans before his lips crash against mine hungrily as he delves his tongue between my lips, tasting every inch like he is trying to consume me.
His tongue strokes mine, trying to get me to kiss him back, and I give in.
He groans, his tongue playing with mine when someone clears their throat, making me jump away. Blaine smiles wickedly, and I realize I am kissing him, some fog lifting off me.
Stress. Has to be stress, I tell myself.
I am not normally like this. Blaine doesn’t let go though, and I turn to see Latham standing on the other side of the bench with just a pair of shorts hung low on his hips.
Xavier is sitting on the counter, stirring something in a pot, like me making out with his boyfriend or lover or whatever they are is no big deal. I squeeze past Blaine, only for him to pull me against him, his chest pressing against my back as he steers me toward Latham.
“You weren’t about to make a run for it, I hope,” Blaine whispers below my ear, his breath caressing my shoulder, and I shiver.
I do plan to do a runner but I keep my lips shut. Blaine stops me in front of Latham, making me look up at him. My eyes run down his hard chest to his V-line, and my walls clench just at the sight of him.
Blaine grabs my hand, moving it and placing it on Latham's chest, and he sucks in a breath, his eyes watching me as Blaine moves my hand down the hard lines of muscle to his waist band. I feel light-headed, almost high.
“Do you like touching him?” Blaine asks, his lips on my neck.
“Blaine!” Latham growls.
He seems angry at him, but he doesn't pull away.
“Well, do you, Bella?”
“Yes,” I breathe, my voice airy.
Why the fuck have I just said that? Why do I always feel strange in their presence? I almost don’t recognize my own voice when the words leave my lips.
“Do you want him to touch you?” Blaine asks.
“Blaine, enough,” Latham snaps.
“Bella?” he asks, his voice almost hypnotic.
I go to answer, when I hear another voice.
“Bella, hello.”
“Earth to Bella,” I hear, shaking my head and closing my eyes.
Only when I open them, I am sitting at a table. I look around to find all three of them staring at me. Latham has a shirt on, while Xavier is clicking his fingers in front of my face.
“Where did you go?” he asks, and I look down to find a plate in front of me.
I look back up, confused. Have I imagined all that? I can still feel Blaine’s touch. He has a smirk on his face, and I feel my face heat up.
“Are you okay, Bella? You look rather hot and bothered,” Blaine asks, and my face reddens even more.
How did I get to the table, if I imagined it? I am so confused, and he is right; I am extremely flustered, my thighs slick with arousal.
“Have we always been sitting here?”
I don’t know what I am asking and shake my head, trying to remember anything other than the weird-ass daydream I’ve just had.
“Yes, Bella. We were talking about work and the conference meeting coming up with that company,” Latham says, but I have no memory of it.
I shake it off trying to get my bearings about me, and I suddenly want to flee. Yet I also feel weirdly comfortable here.
We spend the rest of dinner talking about work, yet Blaine won’t stop staring at me like he knows something I don’t. It sets me on edge a bit, and I can still feel his lips on mine. It feels so real, but how they act is as if nothing happened, making me question myself.
I help Xavier clear the plates and wash up.
Latham and Blaine are talking in hushed whispers, like they are arguing about something.
Looking over at them, they both stop, turning to face me.
I quickly look away while Xavier hands me another plate to dry.
When we are done, I hang the tea towel on the oven door.
“I should go,” I tell them, needing to get away from them.
“You are leaving already?” Xavier pouts, and I can’t help but smile at him.
He genuinely looks upset. But I can't trust myself around them.
“I will walk you back,” Latham offers, but I shake my head.
“No, that’s fine, you don’t have to.”
He ignores me, and I roll my eyes before heading toward the door. I reach for the door handle when I hear loud banging in the corridor.
“Bella, open up!” I hear Brian’s voice yelling at my door.
My hands shake as I grip the doorknob, and Latham’s hand falls on mine.
The doorknob stops rattling, and I look over my shoulder at him before hearing a loud bang, and I know my brother’s just kicked my door.
Latham holds a finger to his lips and pulls my hand from the handle.
The banging eventually stops, and I let out a breath, intending to go back to my apartment, when Latham grips my shoulder.
“Stay here tonight in case he comes back,” he says, but I shake my head.
“No, it's fine. I can handle my brother,” I tell him, knowing that was not true.
I can only hope to placate him until the next time.
“Then let Xavier stay the night at yours,” Latham says, and I look over his shoulder to see Blaine and Xavier watching us.
Xavier walks over and stops beside Latham, his chest brushing against him, and Latham looks at him.
“Well, it’s settled then. Xavier stays with you tonight since you won’t stay here.”
I go to argue, but the thought of him coming back scares me, so I nod. Besides, Xavier is harmless. He wouldn’t try anything, right?
Xavier nods, reaching for my hand when Latham grabs his face making Xavier look at him.
“Behave,” Latham tells him.
“Of course,” Xavier answers before brushing his lips against Latham’s.
Latham nods, and Xavier reaches past me and opens the door before pushing me out with his hand on my lower back and steering me toward my apartment.